Double Homicide Suspect "Gentle, Good Guy": Friend

Adam Evans has known Brian Williams for about 8 years, and only has positive things to say about him. Williams was arrested Monday and faces charges of brutally killing his mother and daughter in a Rancho Penasquitos home. Tony Shin reports.

(Published Tuesday, July 19, 2011)

“He said he was going to school to be a preacher or minister,” the friend said. “He was working for the church. He was always with them.”

"He loved his family, that's all he cared, he wanted to do good in life," he continued.

Another friend who didn't want to be identified said Brian Williams was often quiet and started to show signs of depression after his father, former San Diego police sergeant Howard Williams died of cancer in 2007.

Mother, Daughter Killed in Rancho Penasquitos Home: Images

According to police sources Williams also suffers from mental illness. Just last month officers were called to the family home because of problems he was causing.

Sources say Donna even threatened to kick her son out of the house because he wasn't taking his medications for schizophrenia.

Medications can dramatically help people who suffer from schizophrenia.

“It's a severe illness that affects the way the brain functions it affects the way people think, often causes paranoia delusions and even hallucinations,” said psychiatrist Clark Smith.

"But when people stop their medications, they can become out of control."

If that is the case with Brian Williams, friends say this is a tragedy that could have been avoided.

"Brian, if anything, he just needs help,” Evans said. “This is not him."

Brian Williams has been booked at the county jail facing two counts of murder. Deputies say he is being held in a cell by himself and is not responding when deputies to to speak to him. He was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.